


Red Skies

by limesicle



Series: We Sail for Freedom [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Character Study, M/M, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-24
Updated: 2015-06-24
Packaged: 2018-04-05 21:56:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4196358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/limesicle/pseuds/limesicle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Red sky at night,<br/>Sailors delight.<br/>Red sky at morning,<br/>Sailors take warning.</p><p>Inspired by this saying. Thinking of the future and of the past and of the emotions that usually aren't shown. It's just a little snapshot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Red Skies

“Ne, Zoro, remember when we first met?”

 

Luffy knew it was a stupid question, but he found it falling from his lips easily. They were standing at the railing of the Sunny just having surfaced from Fishman Island. There had hardly been time to breathe before, and there probably wouldn’t after this either. His elbows rested on the railing. It was pristine; Franky made sure of that.

 

There was a quiet clank as Zoro rested his bottle of sake on the railing. He was thinking–nostalgic perhaps–or maybe not. Zoro was always kind of quiet, that is, until he got into a fight with Sanji.

 

“Why?”

 

Luffy’s gaze refocused from the blue horizon dipped in gold from the setting sun to the swordsman next to him–his swordsman, he liked to think, and his first mate.

 

“Why?” The captain echoed. Of all things, he hadn’t expected a question. “Just curious.”

 

He lot out a characteristic laugh. “Zoro’s funny,” he commented, turning back to the sky. Where they were headed was anyone’s guess, but the important thing was they were in the New World, halfway to Raftel.

 

Zoro hummed in response. “Yeah, I remember.”

 

Luffy turned to lean his back against the railing, cradling his hat against his chest as he did so. “A lot’s happened since then.” His voice was quieter than usual, and Zoro didn’t fail to notice.

“What do you think would’ve happened if we’d never met? I wouldn’t have a swordsman, or someone who drinks too much sake in my crew. Sanji wouldn’t have anyone to argue with. Chopper would be a lot more lonely. And I–”

“What would have happened at Thriller Bark? Or Sabaody? Or after Marineford?”

 

Luffy sank to the floor, his back still against the railing of the ship and a hand covering his face. “Who’d be my first mate?” Even to his own ears, his voice sounded broken and almost foreign. This wasn’t him. He’d stood up after Marineford, after all, he had no reason to fall now. He had friends that were there for him, and his dream was half-way there.

 

His hand dropped from his face.

“Sorry.”

He got to his feet quickly, intending to walk to the kitchens. “Man, I’m hungry–” He was stopped mid-sentence by a strong hand clasping around his wrist. Luffy tipped his head backwards, a quizzical look on his face.

 

“Zoro?”

 

The swordsman was making an expression he hadn’t seen before. It wasn’t the usual stoic face, nor his relaxed face when he was asleep, and not even one of those rare smiles. Green eyebrows were drawn together, and his mouth was in a hard line. The one visible eye bore into Luffy’s.

 

The captain halted leaving his arm resting in Zoro’s grasp.

 

“Thriller Bark?” The swordsman’s hand tightened around Luffy’s arm. “You knew?”

 

The sun was glowing on the horizon, sinking ever deeper into the ocean. The sea was almost calm, but there was still a strong wind blowing moving them forward.

 

“I guessed.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. I guessed–felt it.” He swallowed. “Then I bothered Sanji.”

 

Zoro cursed, turning back to the ship’s railing. He jumped when he felt arms snake around his waist.

 

“What the hell are you–”

“Why wouldn’t you want me to know, Zoro? It’s important, after all, you almost–”

“I didn’t. I won’t die until I’m the best swordsman in the world. You know that, right?”

 

Luffy’s arms tightened around the swordsman, and Zoro had half a mind to pull away, but something rooted him to the spot.

 

“I know. I believe in you.”

 

The silence afterward was broken by a loud noise from Luffy’s stomach. “Dammit, I’m still hungry!” He complained. This time, Zoro didn’t stop him as Luffy disappeared down to the kitchen.

 

 


End file.
